Loose-leaf binder



Nov. 3, 1925. A 1,560,467 J. c. DAWSON LOOSE LEAF BINDER Filed Deb. 13,192.3

121 yen to): cfame (Lactation A ai- Patented Nov. 3, 1925.

UNITED STATES.

JAMES C. DAWSON, OF WEBSTER GROVES, MISSOURI.

LOOSE-LEAF BINDER.

Application filed December 13, 923. Serial No. 680,309.

To all whom it may concern.

Be it known that I, James C. DAWSON, a citizen of the United States, andresident of Webster Groves, county of St. Louis, and State of Missouri,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in LooseLeaf Binders,of which the following is a specification, and which are illustrated inthe accompanying drawings, forming a part thereof.

This invention relates to loose leaf binders and has for its principalobjects to provide improved articulation between the rods carrying thepaper holding prongs; to maintain the prongs in alignment; to permiteasy assembly without the aid of special tools; and to reduce the costof manufacture to a minimum.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent asthe description is read in connection with the accompanying drawingsillustrating a selected embodiment of the invention, and in which Fig. 1is a plan view of a loose leaf binder made according to the inventionand with the backs broken away;

Fig. 2 is an inverted plan view of the paper holding mechanism proper;

Figs. 3, 4 and 5 are sectional views taken on the lines 3-3, 4& andrespectively of Fig. l; A

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of one of the rods;

Fig. 7 is a perspective view showing the assembled binder equipped witha cover for the paper-holdingdevices that serves to give the binder aneat and finished appearance, and

Fig. 8 is a cross sectional view of the cover illustrated by Fig. 7showing an oppositely disposed notch and perforation.

In the drawings a back plate is shown at 10 which may be equipped withsuitable backs 11 that are broken away for convenience in illustration.The paper-holding devices include a pair of rods 12 each of which isbent at each end to form short rigid arches 13 and paper holding prongs14. The crown portions 15 of the arches are preferably madesubstantially straight and serve as hearing members for the rods inrotating between positions in which the prongs are opened and closed.These fiat crown portions are journaled in the curved flanges 16 of aspring clip, or clips 17, each of which is provided with tab 18 by whichthe paperof a portion and the other the tongues.

holding devices may be secured to the back plate with rivets 19.

The spring portions of the arches are provided with mating grooves 20which terminate in shoulders 21; and the sping portions are arranged injuxtaposition with the matting grooves forming bearings for interlockingand antifriction rods 22 the ends of which cooperate with the shoulders21 to hold the prongs 1 L always in proper alignment.

The tabs 18 for the clip or clips 17, bend downi-vardly at 23 to locatethe body portion of the tabs parallel to the bottom surface of thefastening devices and also to make a neat closure for the ends of thebear ings in which the rods are mounted. One of the flanges 16 isperforated at 24 to permit the free movement of the corresponding prong14: and the other flange is notched at 25 opposite to the perforation topermit similar movement of the opposite prong.

It has heretofore been proposed to interlock the rods by providingtongues on one of the rods and grooves on the other. In certain of theseprior devices the rods were made rights and lofts, one having thegrooves This increased the cost of manufacture and was generallyobjectionable. In others of these devices the rods were grooved at oneend and tongued at the other so that the two rods were duplicates, butit was found that this produced a peculiar twisting strain in openingthe prongs, which threw them out of alignment and otherwise interferedwith the proper operation of the devices. The interlocking by means ofthe rods 22 fitting in the mating grooves 20 overcomes these and otherobjections to prior constructions. In addi tion these rods serve asexcellent bearings, and the ends thereof, in cooperation with theshoulders 21, prevent any longitudinal movement of one rod relative tothe other, thereby holding the prongs in proper align ment.

By making the arches short and rigid all tendency to distortion inopening and closing is eliminated and the quick snappy movement results.

By using two short clips 17 a substantial amount of metal is saved andthe assembly of the devices is facilitated. lVhere the trade requires abetter finish a cover plate 27 (Fig. 7 may be used to cover theintermediate portion of the rods, the clips 17, together Cir with therivets 19 and the tabs 1S,the cover being notched and perforated, asindicated at 28 and 32, to receive and permit movement of the prongs1-4. The cover is preferably made of resilient material that will permitit to be sprung into and out ofpl'ace at will. Thus the samepaper-holding devices may be used inboth the expensive and theinexpensive constructions which permits a saving in manufacture andsupply and is a gre t convenience to the dealer.

here adjustment is required the intermediate portions of the rods 12 maybe omitted and the clips interlocked with the backs after the fashiondescribed and claimed in my copending application, Serial N 623,690,filed March 8, 1923, and the cover may be relied upon to hold the partsin an adjusted position.

If perforations 24 were used in both flanges 16, theassembly of the rodsin the clips would require skill and intelligence of an order that isexpensive, but by using one perforation 2% and one notch 25,substantially as shown, the assembly is made so easy that ordinary laborcan be employed. At the same time the tie effected by the piece ofmaterial 29 at the extreme outer edge of the flange havingperforation24: braces the neck 31 between the notch and the perforations, and givessutlicientrigidity and strength to the structure.

The notches 28 in the cover are preferably both on the same side, andthe perforations 0Q opposed thereto on the opposite side. in assemblingthe cover the prongs 14L are inserted through the perforations, and thenpressure is applied to spring theoover in place. The metal back of theperforations cooperateswith the corresponding prongs and prevents thecover from riding up and out of position.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a loose leaf binder, the combination of a pair of rods, each bentto form an arch and a paper-holding prong adjacentthereto,

a spring clip in which the arches are mounted to form a toggle, adjacentportions of the arches having mating grooves terminating in shouldersanda rod seated in said grooves and cooperating with the shoulders toheld the paper-holding prongs in alignmi-znt.

2. In a loose leaf binder, the conibination of a pair of rods. each bentto form an arch and a paper-holding prong adjacent thereto, a springclip in which the arches are mount edto form a toggle with the crownportions of the arches spaced apart and the spring portions of thearches lying adj acent to each other, said spring portions having matinggrooves therein terminating in shoulders and a rod seated in saidgrooves and cooperating with the shoulders to maintain the pro inalignment.

3. In a loose leaf hinder, the combination of a pair of rods each bentto form an arch and a paper-holding prong adjacent thereto, a springclip having edges shaped to form bearings for portions of said rods, oneof said edges being perforated to receive a prong and the other edgebeing notched opposite to the perforation to receive the correspondingprong.

4.111 alocse leaf binder, the combination a pair of rods each bent ateach end to in an arch and a paper-holding prong ljacent thereto, apairof spring clips each hiring edges shaped to form bearings for portionsof said rods, the rods beingassembled in the clips with the archesarranged to form toggles, said clips having projections thereon by whichthey may be secured to a back plate and a resilient cover plate adaptedto be sprung into position over the clips to cover-the clips and therods.

A loose leaf hinder, the con'ibii'iation of paper holding devices,including pairs of separable prongs, and a spring cover havingoppositely disposed notches and perforations, each pair of the saidprongs extending through a notch and perforation.

JAMES C. DxUVSON.

of for

